Why I ask you to sign The Adriatic Pledge

Clean Adriatic Sea Alliance launched their online campaign, “The Adriatic Pledge”, calling on the six Adriatic countries of Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania to implement a permanent ban on hydrocarbon exploration and production drilling in the entire Adriatic Sea.

CASA is an international non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on health, environment and energy policies in the Adriatic region. For more information, please visit cleanadriatic.org.

“The Adriatic Pledge”

can be found at their re-launched website, cleanadriatic.org, where a petition is translated into several languages. Individuals can sign the petition while businesses, organizations, and elected officials can be included in the list of supporters like I had.

“We hope the campaign provides a platform for both individuals and organizations on all sides of the Adriatic to show their support for a permanent ban,” said Clean Adriatic Sea Alliance founder Sam Evich. “It’s the culmination of a growing public movement in the region.”

“2016 has been the hottest year since records began,” said Rosalind Innes, member of Coordinamento Nazionale No Triv. “There is no time to lose in the transition to clean energy and in the protection of our seas. We fully support The Adriatic Pledge.“

“This is a unique chance for the countries bordering the Adriatic Sea to take a lead role in promoting renewable energies,” said Ulrike Kirsch, project manager of the German-Croatian project to save the last Adriatic Dolphins at Gesellschaft zur Rettung der Delphine. “We need to protect the Adriatic Sea which is home to a small remaining population of dolphins and other creatures.“

The drillings have been canceled but …

Many of you may be wondering why they continue to keep Croatian Adriatic drilling petition open, while many have declared victory on these plans.

First – Please read their response to the Minister of Economy’s comments here.

Second – Much like weeds in your Nonna’s garden, oil interests seem to require constant removal. The constant instability of the Croatian government this year has caused much uncertainty and has led to new elections to replace the collapsed government. Read more about it here.

So due to that uncertainty, they are keeping it open. And I´m happy they do. There should not be any chance left that they start drilling in the Adriatic region.

Clean energy

A ban on Adriatic fossil fuel extraction is a critical step, alongside an immediate social and economic plan to move aggressively to 100% clean renewable energy, in order to reverse climate change and stop Adriatic degradation. Please provide the critical protections and clean energy resources that our communities are demanding from our leaders in the Adriatic region. Together we can build healthier, self-sufficient communities and a stronger economy.

Solar energy technology in particular is proving its competitiveness, and with the Adriatic averaging more days with sunlight than other parts of Europe, it is an ideal solution that grows local economies at the same time it protects coastal communities.

“The Adriatic Pledge” interconnects the fight for clean economic growth and the respect of the rights of the people,” said Gino Cirillo, member of Coordinamento No Triv Terra di Bari.

“We find that 95% of Croatians we encounter are against drilling in the Adriatic Sea, but more action is needed from local communities. The campaigns in history that had success protecting communities and the environment, from Big Oil companies, all had one thing in common. They all had the unified support of the local people.” (digitaljournal.com)